These 43 Dallas Non-Profits May Receive Much-Needed Funds From City Arts Commission

Non-profits throughout the country have struggled to make ends meet during the pandemic, but some Dallas cultural groups could soon receive much-needed funds from the city’s arts commission. The Dallas Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture committee will meet Monday morning to hear recommendations for Cultural Organizations Program (COP) funding, as well as updates on VisitDallas Arts and Culture Marketing and the Outdoor Adventures at Samuell Farm.

Art and culture contribute so much to our quality of life. When researchers study a city’s quality of life for “best” or “most” lists, arts and culture rank highly. Case in point, Austin-based HomeCity ranked Fort Worth number one as Texas’ most livable city. The importance of cultural programming and amenities should not be overlooked here in Dallas.

Cultural Organizations Program funding

The Cultural Organizations Program provides grant funding for established Dallas non-profits to host exhibitions, plays, concerts, and workshops for residents. The 2021-22 Cultural Organizations Program funding recommendations total $5.1 million and include 43 unique cultural groups. At the top, the big winners are the Dallas Museum of Art (DOMA) and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The DOMA funding is a touch more than $1 million and the Perot cut is just shy of $750,000.

A total of 41 institutions would split remaining funds, including seven first-time funding recipients. They include Avant Chamber Ballet, Color Me Empowered, Deep Vellum Publishing, Orchestra of New Spain, The Flame Foundation, The Women’s Chorus, and Verdigris Ensemble. It’s the largest list of new additions since the program’s inception in 1989.

Other proposed recipients include Cara Mia Theatre Co, Sammons Center for the Arts, Teatro Hispano de Dallas, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and more.

VisitDallas marketing

Craig Davis, the VisitDallas CEO, is scheduled to provide a briefing on the organization’s arts and culture marketing efforts. The leading statement, “It’s our cultural product that gives Dallas its competitive edge” teases the promise of a brighter creative future.

Programing includes a video series, the “Dallas Now” blog, tourism district funding, and the Riverfront Jazz festival. The campaign is committed to cultural diversity and experiences. The campaign creative team is lead by Director King Hollis.

Outdoor Adventures at Samuell Farm

The Outdoor Adventures at Samuell Farm focuses on experiencing nature’s offerings in a historical Dallas setting. The briefing will present a history of the farm, an overview of camp programing, and the projected budget.

The Outdoor Adventure program offers youth- and family-oriented activities such as camping, mountain biking, kayaking, fishing, archery, and more. Since the program began in 2016, approximately 3,800 people have participated. The presented budget is projected to have a small deficit; however, the projected 2022-23 numbers show a closing of that gap. The ongoing activation of Samuell Farm is a unique offering in our city and the continuation of what has been a complicated vision to maintain.

The meeting agenda can be found on the city of Dallas website. The meeting will be broadcast live on Spectrum Cable Channel 16 and online at City of Dallas TV. The public may also listen to the meeting as an attendee at this videoconference link.